Rats have found home underneath Joey's Park play structures in Belmont

Thursday

Oct 19, 2017 at 3:54 PMOct 24, 2017 at 2:41 PM

Joanna Tzouvelis jtzouvelis@wickedlocal.com @citizenherald

Joey's Park, next to Winn Brook Elementary School in Belmont, is now closed due to a rat infestation.

"We are not allowing students to use Joey’s Park. It has been determined that there is a rat infestation below the play structure," Principal Janet Carey wrote in an email to parents on Oct. 19

"While students and staff have not reported sightings in the park, tunnels are apparent and numerous. The Park and Recreation Department oversees Joey’s Park and they are moving swiftly to address the situation. In the meantime, I wanted you to be aware of the problem and be assured that the park will be off limits to students until the problem has been resolved," Carey added.

On Oct. 23, a letter from Belmont Public Works Director Jay Marcotte and Director of Belmont Health Department Wesley Chin was sent to all Winn Brook-area residents advising them of the problem and how it is being addressed.

Pest control in action

"Assurance Pest Solutions, a professional pest control operator, will treat the rodent burrows with Rat-Out Gel, a deterrent substance that consists of active ingredients such as garlic oil and white pepper, and trap the nuisance wildlife in baiting stations located throughout the park," stated Marcotte and Chin in the letter.

The letter adds this section of the park will be regularly monitored and treated by the professional pest control operator over the next three to four weeks and it will remain closed until the problem is safely resolved.

Educational material on how to keep property clean and less likely to experience a rodent infestation was included with the letters to the Winn Brook residents. It includes how to locate evidence of rodent burrows and information on conditions that may attract rats and instructs residents to contact a professional pest control service if they find evidence of rodents.

Trash barrels in park 'overflowing'

Public Works Director Jason Marcotte sent a letter to the Town Administrator Oct. 20 which is on the town website. It states,"The Joey’s Park Playground will be closed temporarily to mitigate the rodents in this area. Town officials are working with an experienced contractor to implement an appropriate plan to end the situation and to safely re-open the playground. The playground will re-open as soon as possible; we appreciate your patience during this time."

Marcotte said the parks crew noticed big holes under the gazebo. He said he is investigating the safest possible solution.

"It's a problem in Metro Boston and eliminating food sources is the first thing to eliminate. The park is heavily used and trash barrels are always overflowing," said Marcotte.

According to Belmont Health Director Wesley Chin, the town first became aware of the problem Oct. 13, when a concerned mother called the Health Department to report seeing possible rat burrows.

"Health and DPW immediately went over to the park to verify the complaint. DPW then took steps to determine if the burrows were active. This process took a few days to confirm. In the meantime DPW has had licensed pest control operators assess the park and is in the process of reviewing treatment plans that are being submitted," said Chin in an email on Oct. 20.

Rats 'part' of urban environment

He said he is not sure why there are rats at Joey's Park but if there is an easily accessible food source nearby, such as food scraps and even dog waste, they will likely be attracted to it.

"Rats are a natural part of our urban environment. We often bring food and snacks to enjoy at our parks, so it is not entirely unexpected that rats might follow close behind and find their way into the parks too. It is important for people clean up after using our parks. Adoption of a carry in/carry out mentality might be one way to help prevent future problems," said Chin in an email on Oc.t 20.

Public Works is working with town officials, the town Department of Health, the Belmont Public Schools, and the Belmont Police Department to resolve this issue a quickly as possible. However, a timeline will be based on what the pest control operator thinks is the most effective and safe way to resolve the problem, said Chin.

According to Chin, there has been a 40 percent increase in reported rat sightings in Belmont this year based on calls tallied between May through August of this year in comparison to last year. That translates to 23 calls last year and 34 this year during that same period of time.

"This is a trend that many communities in the greater Boston area may also be experiencing," said Chin.